Las Crucens mark Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy

By Diana Alba Soular / dalba@lcsun-news.com

Posted:
01/21/2013 02:01:38 PM MST

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Dorris Hamilton of Las Cruces, left, and Dorothy Rachele, also of Las Cruces enjoy a breakfast buffet Monday in honor and remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the Doña Ana County Branch NAACP Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. annual Breakfast Celebration at Hotel Encanto. The theme of the event was, Opportunities through Diversity.

LAS CRUCES — This year would have marked the 84th birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. had he not been killed on a tragic day in April 1968.

The Las Cruces-based chapter of the NAACP continued its tradition Monday of honoring King through an annual breakfast that coincides with the national holiday memorializing the renowned civil rights leader.

"What he did for civil rights for our nation - not only him, but presidents of the past, President Kennedy - was so important," said Curtis

Rosemond, newly elected president of the Doña Ana County branch NAACP. "It's important to our future."

In all, 184 people, including a number of dignitaries, attended the breakfast at Hotel Encanto.

The event was followed up by a live broadcast on two large projector screens of the second inauguration of President Barack Obama.

Four years ago, during the president's first inauguration, teacher Normajean Oleary had invited Clarence Fielder, a Las Crucen and noted black educator, to watch the event with students at her school, Booker T. Washington Elementary. Oleary said that was impactful because the school was historically tied to the local black community. These days, Oleary teaches at Mesa Middle School, and she attended the breakfast Monday because two students from that campus won first place in the NAACP's essay contest. She sensed the same feeling as four years earlier.

"It's just profound," she said.

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Three local middle school students were recognized for winning top honors in an essay and poetry contest hosted by the chapter.

Isaac Rodriguez, a sixth-grader at Mesa Middle School scored first place in his grade for an essay about how King set a vision - something people need in their lives today. Alicia Troncoso, also of Mesa Middle School, won in the seventh-grade category for a poem about King. Mariah Adan, who attends Picacho Middle School, was the winner in the eighth-grade category.

Sam Bone, state president of the NAACP, said he was privileged to meet King while a senior in college.

"I was moved by his message, and I've thought about him ever since," he said.

The group heard from keynote speaker Roy Tatem of Phoenix, a black graduate of Virginia State University who's also an owner of Legal Shield, a prepaid legal service. Tatem said he drew inspiration from civil rights leaders, including King and Malcolm X.

Mayor Ken Miyagishima; several city councilors; the new district attorney, Mark D'Antonio; Las Cruces Public Schools Superintendent Stan Rounds; and representatives from the federal delegation were on hand.

Miyagishima, who described his heritage as half Japanese and half Mexican, credited King with paving the way for his own chance to get into politics.

"Martin Luther King was a trailblazer," he said.

Rosemond described the breakfast event as a "total success," and he's hopeful about the future.

"It could grow even bigger," he said.

Sunday, the NAACP hosted a march to promote racial diversity and tolerance. Rosemond estimated about 200 people attended.

Breakfast attendee Jim Rucks, who's in his mid-60s, said he enjoyed the diversity among people at the breakfast. He said he moved from Michigan about four years ago, where commemoration events were attended mostly by blacks.